Svidler - Carlsen

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 Due - first to the Indian players and very recently - to Mamedyarov, this classical variation is enjoying its second youth. However, as has been noted a long time ago, any variation looks dynamic and "tasty" when handled by Shakhriyar. But the same can be said about Carlsen's golden hands. 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7

12.Bc2 Re8 13.a4 Bf8 14.Bd3 c6  Along the main line. Quite recently, in Austria, a very interesting (theoretically) game Kasimdzhanov-Smirin has been played. There, 13... b4 with the idea of d5!!! - was played, so small wonder that the whole line has again become fashionable. 15.b3 Qc7 16.Bb2 d5

17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 if Black is able to play d6-d5, the game will become even. The only problem that may arise is that with the king's side. Should the pawn stand on h6, there would not be problem at all. 18...Qxe5 19.Nf3 Carlsen is in doubt: whether his Queen should retreat to c7 or to h5. In both cases White plays e5, and Black will "hang" his knight on e4. In this case, winning a pawn by Be4, de, Re4 is hardly possible, as Black would then have sufficient compensation. 19...Qf4 It's hard to understand where the Bishop would stand better - on b2 or c1. 20.exd5 Now the exchange on e1 looks better. As before, there are no problems in sight after Nd5 c4 Re1+ Qe1 Nb4. 20...Nxd5 21.c4 Nb4 22.Be5 Qh6

23.Be4 Rad8 24.Qb1 bxc4 25.bxc4 Ba8 26.Bc3 c5 27.Bxa8 Rxa8 28.Ne5 Qe6 29.Qb3

Drawn.

Shirov - Aronian

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Re4 g5 16.Qf1 Qh5 17.Nd2 Bf5 18.f3 Nf6

19.a4  It is most surprising that Shirov repeats the opening that occurent the day before yesterday in his game against Leko. After the famous 8th game in the Kramnik - Leko match nobody liked to repeat the "meager" 19. Re1. 19...Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Qg6 21.Nxd6 Qxd6 22.Bxg5 Qg6 23.Qc1  And here it is - the expected novelty. I cannot, however, get rid of the feeling that wite can hardly expect much of it. Moreover, the position has opened up and the White king is also somewhat exposed. In other words, there is something be apprehensive, for the opponent is a well-known equilibrist Levon. 23...Bd3 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rxa8 Rxa8

26.Kf2 Bc4  Here the Marshall counterattack will most likely result in a drow. Althouhg White has two pawns for the exchange, he will hardly rist going over to the endgame or being deprived of the advantage of having two Bishops. Therefore, the repetition of moves is the most likely outcome. If the White king were more secure (Kg2) or would have "more air" (pawn at g4), White would gain considerable advantage after 27.Bc2 Bd3 28.Bd3 Qd3 29.Bf6. 27.Bxc4 bxc4 28.g4. White has still decided to give a battle, and has made the needed move - advanced the pawn to g4 in the hope to buil a mating net. However, he will hardly be able to succeed: most likely, Black may play f6 at once, but also he may first play h5, followed by f6. In this position, two Black pawns hold three White pawns. Black will speculate on trading the Queens, even at the price of losing one of the pawns on the K-side. 28...Re8 Still I would prefer somewhat to free the king 's shelter, say, by h5. 29.Bf4 Qd3 Aronian proceeds from the idea that Black is ready to swap the Queens even at the price of a pawn. 30.Kg3 Qe2 31.Qb1 I do not understand why Shirov has retused to play Be5... with the guaranteed draw. Now he wants to protect the b2 - pawn passively. Black has all advantages. A complete exchange of all K-side pawns cannot suit White. 31...Qe1+ 32.Qxe1 Rxe1

33.Bd6 Rg1+ 34.Kf2 Rb1 35.Ba3 Kg7 36.Kg3 Kg6 37.h3 h5 38.Kh4 Rg1 39.Bc5 Rg2 40.Ba3

Most likely White will lose. Problems may arise for White only. I do not see how he can draw. 40...f6 41.gxh5+ Kf5 I've no computer at hand just now, otherwise it would indicate the right move 41... Kh7, which, I believe, would win. For then Black would pose insurmountable problems for White. 42. f4 f5. 42.f4 Rg8 It does not look right to let the King out. White has to play Bb4. Also Bd6 is playable. Properly speaking, Aronian is trying hard way to a position which he immediate 41... Kh7. Now White is attemptiny to avoid that position, becouse, most likely it is a lost one. 43.Bd6 Ke6.  Not much has in fact changed over the last moves - Black is still pressing on, While White, as before, is trying to save this unpleasant endgame. Meanwhile it is clear whether Black can win after h6! 44.h6 Kxd6 45.Kh5 f5 46.h7 Rh8

47.Kg6 Ke7 48.Kg7 Ke8 If this is a zugzvang position and Black still wins, then what a beauty it is! A nother study-like win, another brilliancy Aronian has given us. This time again the following regularity has been confirmed the more unusual pattern has ansen the better our chess Ronaldinho is able to find his way in it. 49.Kg6 Kf8 50.h4 Ke7 51.Kg7 Ke8 52.Kg6 Kf8

Triangulation - an old endgame principle that spoilt so much blood for those who defended inferior endgame. 53.h5 Ke7 54.Kg7 Ke8 55.Kg6 Kf8 56.h6 Ke8

57.Kf6 Rxh7 58.Kg6 Rf7

White resigns

Mamedyarov - Ponomariov
 
1.d4 And yet the Batman comes back! I, Vlad Tkachiev, again have the pleasure to comment of the games played for you. I do hope we shall witness an unheard-of "exclusive": very soon in the commentary room will appear many-time World Champion Anatoly Karpov himself! 1...Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb4+ The long abandoned, but recently revived (triumphantly!) by Grischuk variation. The main idea behind it is to attain this outwardly nice arrangement of the Black pieces after the conventional 5. Bd2 a5 6.Bg2 0-0 7. 0-0 Ba6. 5.Nbd2 Playing to get in with his novelty first. This is what happens most often in the games between world-class players nowadays. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to employ your prepared novelties and, as Grischuk imaginatively put it, having home-prepared novelties in store is very like having nuclear weapons you will not be able to use it anyway. Most importantly, your opponents must know that you have them. 5...Bb7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Be7 8.b3

8…c5 9.dxc5 bxc5 10.Bb2 d6 11.Qc2 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Qc7 13.e4 Bc6 14.Rfe1 Qb7 15.h3 a5

16.a4 Rfb8 17.Nh2 Ne8 The position has become somewhat easier to understand. Usually in such configurations the White knight stand on c3, which has its merits, because of the continual threat of Nd5 and it is not ease for Black to loosen White's Q-side, for in this setup the White knight would occupy b6 with a big advantage. Here, however, any of the White knights has a long way to go to b5. The White pieces are not prepared for any activity on the K-side. Any pawn breakthrough in the centre would result in weakening the White king's position. Although White's position still looks better, I think that Black's position is more favourable. 18.Ba1 White has defended against the threat of Ba4. Now Black has at his disposal the possibility of trading the dark-squares Bishops, which would later emphasize the weakness of squares b4 and d4. But White would strive to bird the K-side by advancing the pawns to f4 and g4, so that in reply to e5 he could close the centre by f5. 18...Bf6 19.Bxf6 Ndxf6 White is forced to play f4. 20.f4 Black has a lot of possibilities, up to Nh5. 20...Ra6

21.Nhf3 This is hard to understand. When the pawns are moved, the Knight on f3 is not needed. whereas Black may blockade White's game by Nh5 21...Qe7 22.Kh2 e5 23.f5 Rab6 24.Re3 Ponomariov stands better. 24...h6 25.g4 Nc7 26.Rg1 g5

I don't like that Ponomariov has closed the K-side. Black could play on both flanks. 27.Bf1 Kg7 Now Black's only possible achievement is to transfer his Knight to d4. But whether he would have time for that is an open questions. 28.h4 Rh8 29.hxg5 hxg5+ 30.Bh3 Nfe8 31.Nf1 f6 32.Qd2 Mamedyarov let the h-pawns be exchanged, which I would never have allowed. Looks like it gives Black a good game. 32...Ra6 It seems Black missed his change to seize the initiative. 33.Ng3 Kf8 34.Nh5 Rg8

Ponomariov never thought of fighting for the initiative - he has built a fortress and happy with that. 35.Rd1 Ra7 36.Ne1 Na6 37.Nc2 Qd8 38.Bg2 Nb4 39.Nxb4 axb4 40.Rd3 

A big game, large-scale plans, the players are unwilling to have it cheap. A draw is most likely still. Well, this is a draw to remember! 40...Rd7 41.Kg3 Rh8 42.Bf3 Rhh7 43.Rh1 Kg8 44.Rd1 Kf8 45.Kf2 Kg8 46.Bg2 Kf8

47.Rh1 Kg8 48.Rdh3 Rdf7 49.R1h2 Qe7 50.Bf3 Qd8 51.Qc1 Qe7 52.Qh1 Bb7 53.a5 Ba6

54.Qd1 Bb7 55.Qa1 Ba6 56.Qh1 Bb7 57.Ng3 I wish all the remaining participants would be in such a fighting mood: in spite of the drawish character of the position White is tirelessly looking for winning chances. 57...Rxh3 58.Rxh3 Rh7 59.Rxh7 Qxh7 60.Qa1

60…Ba6 61.Qa4 Kf8 62.Nf1 Qb7 63.Ne3 Ke7 64.Qa1 Kd8 65.Qh1 The White Queen desperately rushes from one corner of the board to another, but all the doors to the Black fortress are closed. 65...Qg7 66.Nd5 Kd7 67.Qh5 Kd8 68.Be2 Kd7 69.Qg6 Qxg6 70.fxg6 Bc8 71.Kg3 Kc6 72.Ne7+ Kc7 73.Nf5 Be6 74.g7 Kb7 75.Kf2 Ka6 76.Kg3 Kxa5 77.Kf2 Kb6 78.Kg3 Kc7 79.Kf2 Kd7 The opponents have this extended our knowledge about the positional draw. Although White has played practically the whole ending without a piece (the Bishop on e2), there is a fortress on the board. Possibly it could also be built after79... Bf5?!! 80 g8Q Bd7. However, I do not know the name of the player who would be capable of this! 80.Ke3

Drawn.

Morozevich - Grischuk

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.f3 e6 7.Be3 b5 8.Qd2 b4 9.Na4 Nbd7 10.c4 bxc3 11.Nxc3 Bb7

One is urged to congratulate the present commentator and you, dear spectators. The opening presupposes a fierce battle. So far the opponents have followed in the track of the recent game between Anand and Topalov, which predetermined the theoretical development of the variation. 12.Be2 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 15.Rc1 Qb8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Nf5 

Here one can see possibilities for a dangerous initiative for White. The move Bb5 is perhaps the only one to keep up the fight. In the event of 17.0-0 there would follow 17...Nd6 and Black hardly has compensation for the absence of the dark-squared Bishop. any ending is simply won. But also with the Queens on the board Black's position is rather difficult. At the same time after Be5 Black will have to make one more prophylactic move to defend the squared e7, in order to be able to castle. 17...0-0 18.Nxd6 Qxd6 19.0-0 a5 20.a4 Rfd8 21.Bb5 Grischuk deemed that it would be dangerous to keep his King in the centre. He has now obtained a thankless position, which he will most likely lose, especially if we take into account the weakness of the pawn on a5 21...h6 22.Rc3

22…Nf8 23.Rfc1 Ng6 24.Qf2 Rdb8 25.Rc7 The only chance for Black is to sacrifice the exchange. Black is hardly to be envied. 25...Qb4 26.Qd2 Rxb5 27.axb5 Qxb5

28.Rc8+ Rxc8 29.Rxc8+ Kh7 30.Rc5 Qb7 31.Rxa5 Ne5 32.Qc2+ Kg8

As we have foreseen, Black has sacrificed the exchange to build a fortress. He is an exchange down, no fortress to be seen, either. I don't see how he can hold his position after Rc5. 33.Rc5 Nc6 White only has to surmount the last barrier erected by Black. Perhaps, this is not difficult. Say, by Qc3-Bd4, White would cause the weakening of Black's K-side, which inevitably leads to Black's defeat. 34.h3 f5 35.Qc3 …b4 is threatened. Looks like the game will only continue a couple of moves. Well, we have been wrong in our guess by just two moves! Black resigns.

Leko - Gelfand
 
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qe2 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 0-0

12.Rd1 The same position occurred a year ago on this scene in the Kramnik-Morozevich game. The disturbed positional balance - White has the Bishop pair and the pawn centre vs. Black having some lead in development - enables us to expect an extremely interesting development of events. 12...Rc8 13.e4 e5 14.Be3 Qa5 15.Qf5 exd4 16.Qxa5 Bxa5 17.Bxd4 Rfe8.

Leko has a small advantage, due to his Bishop pair. But this advantage may vanish. Still, even in the endgame the active centre pawn assures some advantage for him. 18.f3 a6 19.Kf2 Ne5 20.Be2 Rcd8 21.Be3. It is much easier to play for White, while Black has to "squeeze" the moves out of himself. 21...h5 22.g4 hxg4 23.hxg4 Ng6 24.Rxd8. Black's problem is he has no good posts for his Knights. 24...Rxd8.

25.Kg3 Re8 26.Rd1 Bc7+ 27.Kf2 Re7. Gelfand has succeeded in regrouping his forces and taking control of the Black squares. Most likely, this will be sufficient to reach a draw. The impression is that in the last 5 moves it was only Black who was playing. 28.Bf1 Nf4 29.g5 Nh7? This allows of a dangerous initiative. 30.Bxf4 Bxf4 Looks like Gelfand has overlooked the idea of Rd8. 31.Rd8+ Nf8.

32.g6 b5. Now Black is forced to move his Q-side pawns, which will after White an object of attack - Ra8. 33.Bh3 fxg6 34.Ra8 bxa4 35.Bf1. A brilliant geometric idea: the beautiful variation 35...Kf7 36.Bc4 Ne6 37.Ra6 and 37...Rc7 loses in view of 38.Be6 Ke6 39.Nd5 comes to one's mind. 35...Kf7 36.Bc4+ Ne6 37.Ne2 Bd6 38.f4 Kf6.

39.e5+ Bxe5 40.fxe5+ Kxe5. I still do not know what I have failed to see, but Leko has preferred the far more complicated 37.Ne2. Now Black has a real chance to draw. As they say, in this game he has never stood so well. 41.Bxe6 Kxe6 42.Rxa6 Rb7 43.Nf4+ Ke5. I vote for 44.Ke3. It seems that with the most accurate 43. Nf4 White has discovered the required harmonious placing of his pieces. White's chances to win this endgame I estimate as 65 to 35. 44.Ke3

44…c5 45.Nd3+ Kd5 46.Ra5 Kd6 47.Rxa4 Kd5 48.Ra5 Kd6 49.Ra4 Kd5 50.Kd2 c4 51.Nb4 Ke4 52.Kc3 g5 53.Nc6 g4 54.Rxc4+ Kf5 55.Nd4+ Kf4 56.Nc6+ Kf5 57.Nb4 g3 58.Nd5 Ke5 59.Ne3 Rf7 60.Rg4 Rc7+ 61.Nc4 Kf5 62.Rxg3 g5 63.Rf3 Ke4 64.Rf7 Rc8 65.Rg7 Kf4 66.Kd3 Rd8 67.Ke2 Re8 68.Kf2 Rb8 69.Rf7 Ke4 70.Rd7

70…g4 71.b3 Rb4 72.Nd2+ Kf4 73.Rd3 Kf5 74.Kg2 Ke5 75.Nc4 Ke4 76.Re3 Kd4 77.Kxg4 Rb8 78.Kf3 Rh8 79.Ke2

Black resigns.